


Dreaming of Steel

by GouKanraku



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: (i guess), Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Romance, will I ever do anything but fluff tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 06:30:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6743086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GouKanraku/pseuds/GouKanraku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Decades stacked up in the shape of centuries, and centuries grew into sprawling millenia. The records of mages and dragons fell from the pedestal of academia and into the pages of bedtime tales. Inspired by the magic in these old words, Corrin’s pursuit in writing proved to be a successful one. However, Corrin’s motivation for her stories is not so simple as the sublimation of her art form… [Modern AU]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dreaming of Steel

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to get back into writing, and thought I might start with a few AUs. This is awfully self-indulgent of me lol (=_=;) Thanks for reading! (Can you tell I've never been to a book signing before? Please spare me....) Please comment or message me if you have anything you’d like to see in the future. Also, I haven’t finished the game yet, so no spoilers please m(_ _)m

“H-Hi! I love your novel, especially the parts with the Prince of Hoshido. H-Here’s my copy.”

 

“And who should I make this out to?” Corrin forced her lips into an upward curve at the 72nd jittery young reader at her book signing. Who knew waving a pen around and greeting people could be so exhausting? 

 

“M-Mozu, please!” The young girl gave Corrin a shy smile as the author opened the cover of the novel and left her signature. The faint chemical smell of factory-fresh ink on rough recycled paper tickled Corrin’s sensitive nose, and she held back a small sneeze. 

 

“I thought you would be used to the new-book smell by now, Corrin. Would you like me to fetch some allergy medication?”

 

“Shush, Jakob. I’ll be fine.” Corrin rebuttled before releasing a long sigh, casting a tired glance at her faithful bodyguard as she waved goodbye to the timid little girl. “How much longer?”

 

“Another seventeen… Sixteen minutes.” Jakob clicked his pocketwatch close with a deft flick of his wrist and replied. “Not long.”

 

Corrin cut herself short before she could groan, composing herself as the next reader came to greet her.

 

“Hello s-”

 

“So you’re Corrin, the greenhorn author behind this fairy tale craze.”

 

Corrin steeled herself and tighted her jaw, her smile solidifying as a protective mask against the thin grin of the lanky man before her. 

 

“And you are?”

 

“Iago. Literary critic for the city news.”

 

Jakob interjected, “Sir, if you would like a private interview somet-”

 

“Unnecessary.” Iago snapped. “Now, I just want to ask you this - This Prince of Hoshido you’ve sketched out in your story. Is he some sort of self-indulgent joke? Men are subject to enough unrealistic expectations in media, and you paint this Prince Charming to a teen audience? Do you have an-”

 

“It’s not..” Corrin said quietly, her eyes cast away from the shadowy silhouette of the critic.

 

“Speak up, little lady!” Iago huffed and crossed her arms, his thin height towering over the book signing table.

 

“He’s not unrealistic.” Corrin replied, her voice growing in a gradual crescendo. “I know he is...Somewhere. He has to be somewhere.”

 

“Oh my, so you’re insensitive AND delusional?” Iago laughed, his chuckles clanging in his throat like branches in the bowels of a woodchipper. 

 

“Sir, if you continue to disrupt the event, I may be forced to call security!” Jakob cleared his throat. Iago rolled his eyes and scoffed at Jakob’s attempt.

 

“Sure, go ahead. If you want to have an exclusive cover in tomorrow’s paper, that is.” Iago snarled. “Now, you’d be smart to bow out while y-”

 

“You could say that about yourself, Iago.” 

 

“Who d-” Iago snapped and spun around to meet the source of the voice, but he quickly lost his own in a tiny squeak.

 

“My sister is rather fond of this  _ unrealistic _ type of fiction. It would be a shame if I had to tell her I missed the book signing because an unruly critic was in the way - and one being published by our printers, nonetheless.”

 

Corrin froze in place, and time along with her. She had dreamt of this for night after night, but the gnawing uncertainty of reality always forced her fantasies of the reunion into her writing. Corrin rose up, her fingers quivering as she rounded her table with ginger steps.

 

“Is it really you?” Corrin whispered, her tongue unfamiliar and dry in her mouth. 

 

“Ryouma?”

 

Even speaking his name was second nature. The dreams that have followed her flooded her mind. Whenever she was cold or troubled, the familiar image of a man that stood by her side would bring her the strength to stay strong once more. The thanks she held in her chest and the deep, unabiding yearning had long become a part of her, unexpressed feelings that were a few mere years away from materializing in all their weight within her body.

 

The visitor brushed Iago aside with a strong sweep of his arm, his thick brown mane billowing with his motion. Corrin bit her lip, but the tears flowed down her cheeks anyway. Her usual charisma and strong smile melted into overjoyed sobs as she raised a trembling hand, almost afraid that he would disappear like all her other dreams as soon as she touched him.

 

“Sorry I made you wait, like this.”

 

Ryouma reached out and took Corrin in his arms, the sidden warmth of his embrace and even his unique scent still familiar in Corrin’s mind. She buried her head in Ryouma’s chest, her fingers digging into his broad back.

 

“I couldn’t forget you.” Corrin murmured. “The stories were always a bit fuzzy, but I couldn’t forget you. ”

 

“Me neither, dear.” Ryouma replied gently.

 

“Welcome home, Corrin.”


End file.
